Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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on~entio~al~dual-filament~lamps, of the type customari~y ~: :
10 ~ used in au~omotive tail/stop lamps are assembled by bo~ding~.
. a~ en~7eiope oveX a glass stem~whi.ch has been preas~embled
:: wi~h filament~and leads.: The envèlopetstem subassembly is ; ~-
thsn cemen~e~ i~to a base. ~The~completed assemb~y is then
: installed in a socket~in the veh'icle.
As each of the above inter~aces is ~ormed, the opportu~i~y
exists for géometric misalignment o~ ~h~ filaments with respect: :~:
to~the socket. T~i~di~idual misalignments are cum~lativeo
The prior art~fails to teach a lamp which~elimillates :
he in~ermediate;base~ cement and s~em ordinarily~:used and~
20:~ ~ provides o~ien~ing means.
: SUMM~R~ OF_TH~ IN~E~TIO~
The present invention consists of a nove~ lamp and a
cooperating socket therefor. The lamp is connected to the
socket using external extensions of the filament support pins.
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By eliminating the separa-te stem and base found in the con-
ven-tional lamp, this invention reduces the opportunities to
develop errors in filament alignment as well as reducing
production cost and complexity.
The cooperating socket retains the lamp in position. -
The geometry of the socket and lamp are such tha-t the lamp
can be installed only one way. This ensures the connection
of each filament to the desired power source and fixes the
location of each filament with respect to the socket. One
embodiment discloses end-to-end symmetry which allows two -
coordinate mounting positions each of which places each
filament in its correct location.
In accordance with the present invention an electric
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lamp and cooperating socket therefor comprises at least three
conductive support members sealably embedded in a lamp
envelope, each of the support members having an inside part `~
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and an outside part, the inside part:s of the support members
being connected to at least two electrical components, mounting ~;
means formed in the outside parts, socket means having at -
least three means for cooperative supporting and power supply-
ing engagement with the at least three outside parts, each o
the at least three means for cooperative supporting and power
supplying engagement being electrically insu]ated ~from at ~
least two others, and the mounting means containing installa- `
tion limiting means cooperating with the supportin~ means on
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the socket to require installation on the socket means in a
single rotational orienta-tion.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 shows a view, in partial cross section, of a
conventional automotive two-filament lamp.
Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the lamp of the instant
invention. ;~'
Fig. 3 shows the lamp of Fig. 2 rolled 90 degrees about ~-
its longitudinal axis.
Fig. 4 shows a three-quarter view of a socket adapted
to holding the lamp of the instant invention. -
Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view along 5-5 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of the lamp mated to its
cooperating socket. ~
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show three alternate embodiments of -
the lamp in which the external portions of the support pins
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perform the same functions as the previous ~mbodiments~ but
in which the shape of the external portions of the support
pins are modified.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the prior art, mu~tiple filament lamps are manufactured
as shown in Figo 1~ A glass stem 10 is preassembled with a
number of filam~nt support pins, indicated ;n the figure by
foux filame~t support pins 12, 14, 15 and 16, hermetically
sealed throu~h it, a major filament 18 attached between fila- .
ment supportLn~ pins 1~ and 16, a.s by welding, crimping or
twisting and a minor filament ~0 attached between filament
~upport pins 14 and 15. Filament. support pins 15 and 16 can
be combined into a single common support pin~ The preassembly
is then bonded into a glass envelope 22 using glass-to-glass
fusion in an annular seal at 240 It is evident that mechanicaI
misalignm nt can develop during this bonding operation. As
;~. will become evident~ this misalignment is cumulative with
: misalignments which occur later in assembly.
The air is evacuated from the closed assembly and replaced
by an inert gas preferably argon through a glass exhaust tube
26 w~ich communicates with the interior7 Af~er this step,
the end of the glass exhaust tube 26 is pinched o~f at 28 to
provide a permanent seal.
The outer ends of ~ilament support pins 12 and 14 are
inserted through holes 36 and 38 ;n an insulating button 40
and retained therein by solder lumps 42 and 44. The t~o
solder lumps 42, 44 provide electrical contact between the
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socket (not shown) and one end o:E the minor filament 20
and the major filament 18, respectively~ when the lamp i3
installedO The outer ends of the remaining two filament
support pins 15 and 1~ axe j oined together and bent upward
at 46 so that the two pins 15, 16 lîe approximately parallel
to the eavelope 22.
The base, indic~ted generally a~ 30~ consists o a
cylindrical metallic shell 32 havin~ an open top 32 and an
: a~nular~ inward-dixec~ed 1ange 34 at the bottom. A pair of
1~ cyli~dxical locatin~ pins 48, 48a proJecting from the side o .
the shell 32 engage cooperating detented groove in ~he socket ~.
(not shown), The proper locking o~ the locating pins 489 4~a
~nto the socket dete~ is depende.d upon both to place the
lamp center line 50 at the proper dista~ce rom the lamp
reflect~r ~not shown) and t9 fix the rotational angle o la~p
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a~ou~ its axis. :
: The preas~embled envelope 22 is inserted into the base
30~ Guide bumps 52? 52a on the outside of the envelope 22 aid
in centering the en~elope 22 within the base 30~ The insulating
: 20 button 40 fits the opening in the flange 34 and the connected
filament pi~s 15 ~nd 16 ~xtend upward through the top 32 of
the base 30.
~ote that direct holding and positioning o~ the filaments
18 and 20 themselves are not possible in this assembly procedure.
Instead7 only the envelope can be manipulated. ~ny misalignment
o~ the filaments 18, 20 wi~h respect to the envelope 2~ continues
uncorr~cted by this assem~ly operation. The possible additional
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misalignments of the filamen~s 18, 20 with respect to
the base 30 can include
(a) positioning the lamp center-line 50 above or belo~7
the requlred point because of insufficient or excessive
penetra~ion of ~he base,
~b) rotational errors due to incorrect angular positioning
of the filaments 18, 20 with respect to the locating pin 48
a~d
(c) skew errors in which the axis of the envelope 22 i5
~ ed with respect ~o the a~is of the base 30.
The region between the base 30 and the envelope 22 is
filled wLth cement 54 thereby 8ecuring ~he envelope and base
~ogetherO - ~he outer ends o the connected ~ me~t leads
15 and 16 are bent down over the top 32 of ~he base 30 and
soldered to ~he base 30 a~ 56.
~ As shown in Fig. 2, the present invention eliminates the
base, cement, locating pin, separate stem, and solder lump
contacts of the conventional lamp. The new lamp, shown
generally at 57 allows direct control of the filament positions
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with respect ~o the lamp mounting device during the entire
assembly procedure. Thus the cumulative fllament-positioning
errors arising from the assem~ly operation of the conven~ional
lamp are completely eliminated.
In the new lamp 57 a subassem~ly ~onsisting of a major
~ilament 58 attached to filament support pins 60 and 62, and
a minor filament 64 attached to filament support pins 66 and
68 is rigidly held in a manufacturing jig ~not shown~. In
th~. embodiment shown, filament support pins 62 and 68 are
produced ~rom a single continuous rod in which a square
- loop 70 is formed at its outside end. As w~ll be expla;ned
: later, the square loop 70 provides a part of the support for
: ~he new lamp 57 analogous to the fu~ction of part of the base
30 in ~he co~ventional lamp (see Fig. 1~.
-~ . Filament support pins 60 and 66 contain re lex bends
~ 72 ~nd 74 re~pectively in their ends to form long haîrpin
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shapes havlng return portions 76 and 78 running parallel ~o
and spaced rom the outgoing portions 80 and 82 of filamen~ :
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support pins 60 and 62. An outer portion 84 and 86 of each
hairp~n shape is bent about an axi.s lying ~ormal to ~he axis
of:the lamp through an angle great:er than 90 deg~ees to form
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: hooks.
Reerring mome~tarily to the view in Fig. 3, where the
lamp has been rota$ed 90 degrees about its a~i~3 the two
hooks formed by the two outer portions 86 and 84 (behind 86)
are seen. The hooks are used in the mounting arrangement.
~ As will be explained later, the hooks o~ the externa~ portions
of filament support pins 60 and 66 provide the remaining
part o the support ~or the new lamp 57.
The ~iLament/support-pin subassembly is rigidly clamped
in a manufacturing jig ~not shown) while the remaining assembly
operations are perfGrmed. The geometric relationship between
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the filaments 58, 64 and the mounting points 70, 84 and 86
are thus ixed by direct external mechanical control which
remains undisturbed until the lamp 56 is fully assembled.
A glass envelope 88 having reduced-diameter ends 90 and
92 is placed over the rigidly supported filament support-pin
subassembly. As the reduced-diameter ends 90 and 92 are
heated in an assembly machine o~ a type well known in the
art, a purging flow of an inert gas? preferably argon, i~
passed into the envelope thereby displac mg the air. ~nen
~he reduced diameter ends 90 and 92 are heated to the plas~îc
state3 they ~re pressed to a hermetic seal about ~ilam~n~ ~.
support pins 6~, 68, 60 and 66, and return portions 76 and 78
wi~hout deforming these parts. The plasticity of the glass
allows a hermetic seal to be created without changing the
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po~itions of the two filaments 58 and 64 with respect ~o the
Pxternal portions o~ the filament suppo~t pins. External
support of the filament support pins 60, 62, 66 and 68 is
continued until the glass has cooled sufficiently to become
rigid. The glass thereafter rigidly supports both internal
and external portions of the filament support pins 60, 62,
66, 68 in fixed spatial rela~ionships to each other without
need fox continued external supportO
A socket, adapted to holding and supplying electrical
power to the n~w lamp previously de5cribed~ is shown in Fig.
4. Three socket pins 94~ 96 and 98 extend upward from a
base 100. The base L00 can be an integral part of a lamp
fixture (not shown) or may be a separate piece mou~ted in a
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lamp fixture using screws or rivets. In the embodiment sho~n
in Fig. 4, the base 100 is a separate piece adapted to mou~ting
in a socket (not shown) using three lugs 102, 104 and 106.
The lugs 102, 104 and 106 are electrically connected to the
socket pins 94, 96 and 98 respectively and thus serve t~ - -
provide electrical energy to the Iamp. Other means o~ supplying
electri~al energy to ~he socke~ pins 94, 96 and 98, suc~ 2S
flexible wires, will occur to one skilled in the art.
Socke~ pin 94 is adap~ed to hold the square loop 70
. 10 of ~he lamp 56. The outer end o socket pin 94 is shaped
into an arc 108 having a maximum width o~ less than the
wid~h of the inner portion 110. Two notches 11~ and 112a
are cut at the ~ase of the arc 108 crPating two shoulders
: 1~4 and 114a at the outer end of the inner portion 110 ~
~eferring momentarily to the cross section of the rc portitm
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: 108 shown ~n Fig. 5, the lips 116 and.ll6a of the arc portio~.
~ : 108 are bent outward ~o ~:orm a latch.
-: ~ Socket pins 96 and 98 are adapted ~o holding the hooked
ends o~ suppo~t pins ~0 and 66 and providing electrical:
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energy thereto. Soc~et pins 96 and 98 have inner portions 118
and 118a extending parallel to each other outward norma~ to the
base 100. The inner portions 118, 118a terminate at right-angle
bends 120 and 120a. Outer portions 122 and 122a hav;ng tangs
124 and 124a and shoulders 126 and 126a extend laterally :Erom the
right-angle bends 120 and 120a all ~espectlvely. Guide beve1s
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128 and 12~a and lateral shoulders 130 and 130a are located
at the inner edges o the tangs 124 and respectively.
The following description of the mating of the lamp
and socket is written with reference to Figs. 2, 4 and 6.
The ~wo hooks on the outer portions 84 and 86 of support
pLnS 60 and 66 are clipped over the outer portions 122 and
122a of socke~ pins 96 and 98 and come to res~ agains~ the
shoulders 126 and 126a. Guide bevels 1~8 and 128a are
Go~veniently provid~s t~ guide the hooks into the proper :
position. The spacing between lateral shoulders ~30 and 130a
snugly matches the outer dimensions of support pins 60 and
66 thereby rigidly îxing the lateral position of one end
o~ the lamp.
In the unstressed condition, the spacing between the
shoulders 126, 126a and the outer sur~ace ~f socket pin 94
exceeds the distance between the corresponding bearing
surf ces on the lamp. Thus, in order to settle the square
loop 70 over the arc 108, the socket pin 94 is manually
deflected inward. The square loop 70 then slides ~ver the
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top of the arc 108g along the lips 116, 116a and comes ~o
res~ against shoulders 114 and 114a~ The square loop 70
its into the ~otches 112, 112a thus allowing th~ socket
pin 44 to spr;ng outward sLightly as the square loop 70
clears the lips 116, 116a. The square loop thereafter remains
captured in the notche9 112, 112a by the lower edges of the
lips 116, 116a.
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The lamp is fully mated to the socket at this time.
Since it is held in the socket by means of the same ex-ternal
portions of the filament support pins which were used to
maintain alignment of the pzrts during manufacture, the
pre~ise positioning of the lamp filaments with respect to
the socket is assured.
Figs. 7~ 8 and 9 show alternative embodiments of the
lamp in which the e~ternal shape of the support pin~ is
- changed from the embodiment previously described. Fig~ 7
discloses an embodimen~ which retains the square loop 70
at one end as previously described, but replaces the hooks
of the previous embodiment with loops 132 and 134 of unequal
length. This length inequality oE loops 132 and 134 requires
~hè installation in a socket (not shown) in a sîngle geometric
position~ ~
Fig. 8 shows an embodiment containing hooks 84 and 86
a~ one end simil æ to those shown in Figs. 2j 3 and 6 and
with hooks 132 and 134 at the o~her end similar to ~hose
shown in Fig. 7. Hooks 132 and 134 can be of the same or
different lengths because hooks 84 and 86 per~or~ the
orienting function as described for the first embodiment
described.
Fig. 9 shows an embodiment having end-to-end symmetry~
The loops 134 and 134a which are connected to the major
filament 58 are longer than the two loops 132 and 132a which
are connected to the minor ~ilament 64. This length inequality
ensures that each filament may be connected only to its own
power source but allows end-to-end transposition of the loops~
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The lamp alternative embodiments shown in Figs. 7, 8
and 9 can be mounted in sockets (not shown) which utilize
com~inations of the elements of the socket embodiment shown
in Fig. 6 or equivalents thereof. The lamp embodiment in
Fig. 7 can be mounted on three pins similar to pin 94 in
Fig. 6. ThP l~mp embodiment of Fig. 8 can be mounted on a
socket comprised of twc pins s imilar to socket pins 96 and 98
a~ one eIId and two pins similar to pirl 94 at the other.
~ The lamp embodiment shown in Fig. 9 can be mounted on fo~lr
properly spaced socket pins of ~che type sho~n at 94 in Fig~ 6.
Although the preceding disclosure has been directed to
a dual-filament lamp, it is obvious ~o one skilled in ~he
art that the in~entive concept ma~r be adapted to a single-
filament lamp or to lamps wi~h more than ~o ~ilamen~s
: without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will
be understood that the claims are inten~ed to cover all ~hanges
and modiflcations of the preferred embodiments of the inven-
tion~ herein ~hosen for the purpose of i~iustration which
do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of
the ;~vention. . ~ ~
